Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre has announced that children’s theatre director Tony Graham will be joining the team as a creative associate while writer Alan Pollock is joining the theatre’s board of directors.
From 1997 to 2011 Tony Graham was artistic director of the Unicorn Theatre where he oversaw a £14.9 million development of a new, purpose-built venue for young audiences. It opened in London’s Cultural Quarter near Tower Bridge in 2005.
Before that he was artistic director of TAG Theatre and was twice invited to direct for the Edinburgh International Festival.
Joining existing creative associates Joe Harmston and Patricia Benecke, Tony Graham’s role will be to build and maintain relationships with theatres and producers around the country to raise the profile of the Belgrade as a producing house and to explore the possibility of joint productions.
On his new role, he said, “I'm thrilled to be joining the team of creative associates under the inspired leadership of Hamish Glen.
“The Belgrade holds a special place in the hearts of those of us who make professional theatre for young audiences.
“Theatre-in-education was founded here at the Belgrade in 1965. Its reputation is known and respected nationally and internationally.
“Hamish has asked me to help develop a contemporary programme of theatre for young, family and community audiences; to strengthen its public profile through new partnerships and exciting artistic challenges.”
Alan Pollock wrote the Belgrade’s Coventry Blitz play One Night in November which has been staged at the theatre four times.
He said, “My family has been coming to the Belgrade for nearly 50 years. The theatre occupies a special place in my life and I join the board at an extremely exciting moment in the theatre's development.
“I hope to bring a double perspective to the work of the theatre: that of a working artist and a writer with very deep roots in the life of this amazing city.”